I'm leaving in a few minutes to pick it up from a neighbors ranch. It will be my first gasser Mercedes. Unfortunately the keys are long lost so I could use some advice on hotwiring it. Anyone know how?

__________________
1984 300TD 1981 240D

Well the first thing I would do is get the appropriate bill of sale and title transfer paperwork from your DMV, and it is probably closed today (Saturday), and the pink slip (title) and latest registration from the owner in hand, and a moving permit for it, and insurance, if you are even moving it one inch off that property.

One clue in life I have leaned is "The Police NEVER think it's as funny as YOU do!!!"

__________________
1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Once you have a title you can get the keys from the MB dealer.

__________________
1991 350SDL. 230,000 miles (new motor @ 150,000). Blown head gasket

Tesla Model 3. 205,000 miles. Been to 48 states!
Past: A fleet of VW TDIs.... including a V10,a Dieselgate Passat, and 2 ECOdiesels.
2014 Cadillac ELR
2013 Fiat 500E.

I would be reluctant to provide car hotwiring instructions to a total stranger for liability reasons.

Or just go with the owner and get the key to it from the dealer on the owner's title. Having a key is a lot easier and cheaper, since you don't need to drill out the lock to disable the steering interlock.

BTW, depending on state, as long as you have insurance, a signed-over title may be enough to be legal to drive home. Some require transit permits, some don't.

Hell, just have it towed

__________________
2015 ML350 4Matic. Wifes DD
2015 GLK350 4Matic. My winter DD
2012 E350 4Matic. Road Trip car
2009 CLK350 Coupe Designo.Kleemann Tune For nice days/DD
2006 CL600. V12.Eurocharged Tune. Enough said
2005 CLK55 AMG Coupe.Kleemann Tune. For the sound and style
2004 CLK320 Cabriolet. 2005+ Interior swap. For the sunny Florida days & beach days

#1.) Bill of sale in hand.
#2.) Title to said vehicle in hand.
#3.) Call and use a reputable towing company that KNOWS how to PROPERLY tow a locked-tight vehicle TO YOUR PLACE.
#4.) If #3 won't happen, then take #1 & #2 to the DMV, get that end of life taken care of, then proceed to #5..
#5.) Go to an MB dealership, present the paperwork SHOWING THAT YOU ARE THE OWNER, order the proper set of keys, pay the man (about $15-$30/key), sit back and wait for the keys' arrival (about 1 week, average)...
#6.) Take said set of keys to the vehicle, insert and open everything up...then go (for) broke...

Enjoy the ride...eventually!!!

__________________

M. G. Burg
'10 - Dakota SXT - Daily Ride / ≈ 172.5K
.'76 - 450SLC - 107.024.12 / < .89.20 K
..'77 - 280E - 123.033.12 / > 128.20 K
...'67 - El Camino - 283ci / > 207.00 K
....'75 - Yamaha - 650XS / < 21.00 K
.....'87 - G20 Sportvan / > 206.00 K
......'85 - 4WINNS 160 I.O. / 140hp
.......'74 - Honda CT70 / Real 125
.
“I didn’t really say everything I said.”
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ~ Yogi Berra ~

If you don't have paper-work, you don't have anything. Just a fact, jack.

If you have paperwork; and it really is free; just have it towed home on a flatbed or trailer and deal with everything at your leisure.
Be safe; be sure; do things one step at a time.

__________________

"Our Lady of Blessed Acceleration...
don't Fail Us Now"

Call a locksmith.

a wire from the positive side of the battery to the positive side of the coil, trip the starter.......

Is that a fact Jack.........?

__________________
For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

Clk's Ebay Stuff BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!

You've hot wired a few cars haven't you.

__________________
For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

Clk's Ebay Stuff BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!

'Hotwiring' used to be used to start and drive a car away because that is the way they were set up. This is no longer the case in a lot of different ways.

Take a car from the 40's... They usually had a started button on the floor. You just turned on the ignition with the key and stepped on the starter button. After the car started you drove away.

Please note that the starter was always 'hot'. If you put a car in gear and stepped on the starter button it would drive away like it was an electric car. You would not go far, but you could move the car around.

But you could do this because there was no shifter interlock or steering wheel lock. Today there is and while these can be defeated you had better know what you are doing or repairs can get expensive quick.

The Hotwire had to do with a direct connection of the electrical system. This would work on an older car unless you burned out the points. On a newer car this would also likely work, but you would run the risk of burning out things far more expensive then a set of points.

Well- I just got it home! Pulled it out with a backhoe then winched it onto my car trailer. I have started cleaning all the crap out of it as it was being used as someones mini storage unit. I was hoping to find a key in it somewhere, but no luck so far. It has been sitting for 6 or 7 years and the rodents have done some wire work on it! I have no idea whether it runs or not, but I'll find out soon I guess. Oh well- it was free and I'm a sucker for a free Mercedes!!

__________________
1984 300TD 1981 240D

What was that old saying..... There's nothing more expensive than a free Mercedes.

__________________
For the Saved, this world is the worst it will ever get.
For the unSaved, this world is the best it will ever get.

Clk's Ebay Stuff BUY SOMETHING NOW!!!